It's the penultimate Finding Fiction Friday of 2013, and today we bring you a new writer to the scene! A. J. Brown is putting the finishing touches on her first novel, but she has taken time out of her schedule to be here with us and tell us about it. First a bit about her, from her ...
Hi. My name is AJ Brown and I’m a new writer. I started
writing when I was a little kid but it wasn’t till I had kids of my own I took
it seriously. Unspoken Dream is my debut book and although it is not out yet I
believe it has potential. As far as my bio there’s not much to tell yet. I am a
stay at home mother of five wonderful children and I share a five acre lot with
my husband where we take care of our horses and dogs. If I’m not writing I’m
working around our ranch or riding my paint mare Peanut.
AJ, please tell us about your journey in writing. What made you decide to try to be published?
I would have to say the person who inspired me to get
Unspoken Dream published was my daughter. She has been reading over my shoulder
since I started to write Unspoken Dream and I figured if she liked it maybe
other people would too.
Tell us one thing about yourself that you think might
surprise us.
When I was little I thought I was going to be a
singer…LOL..good thing that didn’t happen.
Do you remember what it was like, the feeling you had when you
learned your book “Unspoken Dream” was out there in the world? Tell us about that book and the experience.
Although it’s back in editing when it first got out there I
felt a feeling of accomplishment. At first it felt surreal, like I was the one
with the “Unspoken Dream” coming true. Because in all honesty it has always
been a dream of mine to be a writer. And not just any writer but a published
writer.
What do you have coming up next?
I’m writing a Saga. It’s going to be called “The McGregor
Saga”. It’s about an old fashioned family that runs a horse ranch. The story
line is based on the four brother’s: Jason, Jesse, James, and Jude and how they
find their true loves.
If there is one character you’ve written or are writing that
you would really like people to meet, who would it be and why?
Samantha Sharp. The main character of “Unspoken Dream”. The reason why I would want people to meet her is because she’s a fighter. She has to be, with the challenges she faces everyday with her son who has Asperger’s. She shows parents that having a child with special needs isn’t a bad thing. But a blessing because they have their own way of thinking.
My son Rhett has that type of autism. My character Jaime came from inspiration from him.
It sounds to me like there is a bit of you in Samantha's character as well.
I actually wrote Samantha's feelings about raising a son with Autism from experience. It's a ride I'd never trade in the world. Although the love story is completely fictional the bond and love between mother and son is very real.
What other ideas do you have bouncing around in your head?
Well although I am only on book one of “The McGregor Saga”, ideas come to mind for all the stories. Like Jesse and who he finds to love and
his choice to either follow his heart or do what his friends tell him to do.
But right now I’m trying to focus on Jason and Haley’s story. In “A Cowboy’s
Duty”. Where a cowboy has to figure what is more important love or duty.
What about being published and the book industry in general
has most surprised you?
The whole experience and how sweet everyone is. Authors,
Editors, Publishers…It’s like we are big family that help each other out. It’s
really a nice feeling to know that if I get a block in my head I could go to a
fellow author and they’d help me out.
To close the interview, I have ten questions for you, plus
one. Here they go!
- What is your favorite word? Love
- What is your least favorite word? dumb
- What turns you on? Seeing people being nice to a stranger
- What turns you off? Seeing some kid making fun of another kid just because they are different.
- What sound or noise do you love? The sound of wind chimes and the birds in the spring.
- What sound or noise do you hate? Nails scraping on a black board.
- What is your favorite curse word? I really don’t have one.
- What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? An activist for kids with autism.
- What profession would you not like to do? I don’t know, never really thought about it.
- If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? I’m proud of what you did down there.
- What question have you never been asked, that you wish someone would ask you? How did you turn a diagnosis of your son’s autism into a positive thing?
AJ, thanks so much for spending time with us. Can you let us know where to follow you, so when it is ready we can purchase your work?
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Rudy and Trish are the main characters in Patricia and my published short stories in the "Evernight: Romance in a World of Darkness" anthologies. You can get to know them as well as get 23 other great stories! Here's where you can find them:
Great interview, Aaron and AJ.
ReplyDeleteSo, AJ, the question I have for you is the one you mentioned above.
How did you turn a diagnosis of your son’s autism into a positive thing?
I never let the Autism win. When doctor's said Rhett won't do this or that. I said yes he will. I'll be honest there were dark days which you will see when Unspoken Dream comes out but if you never give up hope and love your child for who they are and not what they have you start seeing how amazing these kids minds really are. :)
DeleteIt's not that kids with autism can't do anything because they can it's just they think differently than others. It's not about changing the outcome but embracing it and finding out works and stick to it :)
That's an answer only a mama who knows could give, AJ. I love this, "It's not about changing the outcome but embracing it and finding out works and stick to it."
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